I don't have a copy of the tune near me, but I am thinking since the song is a blues in G that the seriously intense altered chord at the top of the tune is built off the V chord or D if you will. Try a D7#9#11, sounds about right to me. Here is an attempt at posting the chord.

Crazy 9.5 Fingers wrote:I don't have a copy of the tune near me, but I am thinking since the song is a blues in G that the seriously intense altered chord at the top of the tune is built off the V chord or D if you will. Try a D7#9#11, sounds about right to me. Here is an attempt at posting the chord.

E---6-----B---6-----G---5-----D---4-----A---5-----E----------

I always thought it was a D sharp-nine, a la "Purple Haze", etc.; I'll have to check out the sharp-eleven.

Crazy 9.5 Fingers wrote:I don't have a copy of the tune near me, but I am thinking since the song is a blues in G that the seriously intense altered chord at the top of the tune is built off the V chord or D if you will. Try a D7#9#11, sounds about right to me. Here is an attempt at posting the chord.

E---6-----B---6-----G---5-----D---4-----A---5-----E----------

I always thought it was a D sharp-nine, a la "Purple Haze", etc.; I'll have to check out the sharp-eleven.

Both sound right to me. I checked this against the version on my hard drive:
DP08
DP22
Fallout from Phil Zone
Grateful Dead (album)
Grateful Dead (album - live track)
Birth of the Dead

Can't tell which was right. Considering 3 midrange instrument come in at the same time I wouldn't be surprised if both were present by at least 1. But the "Hendrix chord" sounds more right to my ears and the one I use.

This is yet another example of why it would be great if Phil would be kind enough to write a music theory book for us - explaining exact what is played - and more importantly - why - how it all ties together from a theory perspective. There is clearly something unique going on theory wise with the Dead's music and having Phil explain it would be a nice gift to us all.

Cmnaround wrote:This is yet another example of why it would be great if Phil would be kind enough to write a music theory book for us - explaining exact what is played - and more importantly - why - how it all ties together from a theory perspective. There is clearly something unique going on theory wise with the Dead's music and having Phil explain it would be a nice gift to us all.

I would read the whole thing nonstop without breaks for bathroom, eating, or sleeping.

After a lot of very close listening, I'm certain of these facts; the chord contains a Bb, Eb and a C (C is the bass note). It may also contain an E (giving it the dissonance off of the Eb- but if it's there it's understated). I also beleive the guitarists are layering two different inversions of the chord over each other which is what makes it so confounding.

Anyhow these notes add up to a C7#9, but you can also try flatting the 3rd (E) to an Eb which works too- but is not as dissonant.